Lopez Blogs

You know that summer has arrived when "Allsång på Skansen" hits Swedish TV screens (and the internet for all of us outwith Sweden!). But this year, things are going to be different. You wait for an Allsång and then two come along at once....

For this year, TV4 has declared ratings-war on SVT and is launching its very own "Allsång" -"Lotta på Liseberg" which will be broadcast every Monday night from Liseberg in Gothenburg and will be presented by Lotta Engberg. The series begins two weeks from tonight on Monday 22 June and features a cracking line-up of Swedish pop and schlager royalty, old and new...Lasse Berghagen, Charlotte Perrelli, Sven-Bertil Taube, Sanna Nielsen, Thorleifs, Kikki Danielsson, Niklas Strömstedt, Christer Sjögren, Ola Svensson, Bobbysocks (!!!), Jessica Andersson, Sarah Dawn Finer, Agnes, Sonja Aldén, Sven-Erik Magnusson, Shirley Clamp, Paul Potts (what's he doing here? I don't understand the international fascination with the man), Lasse Holm, Johan Palm, Nanne Grönwall, Scotts, Molly Sandén, Siw Malmqvist, Arja Saijonmaa, Sandra Dahlberg.

But most importantly, apart from all of them......Salem Al Fakir will be appearing on the show!!! (Needless to say I've decided this is my favourite Allsång already, although I always have problems watching TV4's webstream - SVT's is much better) anyway that news has completely brightened up my day.

No more info as yet about who will be appearing on which week, but there will be weekly musical themes on the TV4 show which should be fun. SVT meanwhile also announced their line-up for this year's "Allsång på Skansen" which begins the following evening, 23 June:

Week 1 - Tuesday 23 June
Tomas Ledin, Henrik Dorsin, Måns Zelmerlöw, Anna Maria Espinosa, Owe Thörnqvist

Week 2 - Tuesday 30 June
A Camp, Malena Ernman, Johan Palm, Lisa Ekdahl, Ann-Louise Hanson, Mia Skäringer, Klara Zimmergren

Week 3 - Tuesday 7 July
Caroline af Ugglas, John ME, Claes Eriksson, Anne-Lie Rydé, Lotta Ramel, Rolandz

Week 4 - Tuesday 14 July
Alexander Rybak, Elisabeth Andreassen, Larz-Kristerz, Pauline, Anna Book, Marcus Birro,

Week 5 - Tuesday 21 July
Lars Vegas Trio, Lili & Susie, Monica & Carl-Axel Dominique, Wille Crafoord, Magnus Carlsson, Jack Vreeswijk, Jonas Karlsson

Week 6 - Tuesday 28 July
H.E.A.T., Timo Räisänen, After Dark, Malena Tuvung, Per Myrberg

Week 7 - Tuesday 4 August
Björn Skifs, Allmänna Sången, Markus Krunegård, Bosse Larsson

Looking at this line up it's apparent that SVT is trying a mix of old favourites with newer acts, rather than just the tried and tested schlager-royalty. They did a similar thing last year and I didn't think it always worked, but needless to say I'll be watching every week. Week one looks like being my favourite - Tomas and Måns - but the other weeks might just offer some surprises. Whatever happens, the viewers will be the winners!